Utah Tech dropped its third-straight and fell to 0-3 in United Athletic Conference play after a tough 41-23 home loss to No. 3/3 Tarleton State on Saturday night at Greater Zion Stadium. 
 
The Trailblazers (1-6/0-3 UAC) got off to a dream start on defense when defensive back Devyn Perkins picked off Tarleton quarterback Daniel Greek on the Texans' first offensive play of the night. 
 
Greek fired a pass over the middle that deflected off the shoulder pad of his receiver and into the arms of Perkins. The senior corner back's second interception in as many games and the fifth of his collegiate career, set the Utah Tech offense up at the Texan 33.
 
Utah Tech turned that miscue into points six plays later when quarterback Reggie Graff scampered five yards up the middle on a delayed draw to put his side up by a 7-0 count after the Ilya Uvaydov PAT kick.
 
Tarleton State (7-0/3-0 UAC) quickly shook the turnover off on its next possession, during which the Texans marched 75 yards in only six plays and tied the score at 7-7 following a James Paige 1-yard dive.
 
The Blazers went three-and-out on their ensuing possession, but junior punter Ryan Marks flipped the field with a career-long 67-yard boot that pinned Tarleton State at its own 2-yard line.
 
The Texans were not fazed as they rattled off a 16-play, 98-yard drive that took nearly nine minutes off the clock, which culminated with a 4-yard halfback pass from Paige to Danny Joiner. However Tarleton State would miss the PAT but did jump out in front at 13-7 with 10 seconds left in the first quarter.
 
Utah Tech clapped back on its next time with the football with a Uvaydov 35-yard field goal with just over 10 minutes to go until halftime.
 
It stayed a three-point game until the late in the second quarter when Paige collected his third touchdown of the half with 1:16 remaining in the frame.
 
Again the Trailblazers countered with points, but had to settle for another Uvaydov field goal, a 37-yarder with one second on the clock as Utah Tech retreated to the locker room trailing by a 20-13 count.
 
Utah Tech got the ball to start the second half and put together an 11-play drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock. Unfortunately the Blazers saw their drive stall at the TSU 19, which led to Uvaydov's career-best third field goal of the game, a second 37-yard blast that trimmed the deficit to 20-16.
 
That would be as close as the Trailblazers would get as they had no answer for Paige and the Texans' run game. 
 
The back-up quarterback, who was pressed into being Tarleton State's starting running back due to injuries, ran for 114 yards on 30 carries and four touchdowns.  

Paige, who accounted for five of Tarleton State's six touchdowns in the game, notched another 1-yard score late in the third quarter, followed by a 2-yard rush that capped a 16-play, fourth quarter drive that took nine-plus minutes off the clock and pushed the Texan lead to 34-16 with 4:38 remaining in the game.
 
The Trailblazers drew to within 34-23 when quarterback Bronson Barben found Daniel Thomason in the corner of the end zone with 2:44 left.
 
Utah Tech then forced a three-and-out on Tarleton State's next possession, but the Blazers muffed the punt inside the Texan 5 with 1:04 to go. Greek went on to rush for a cosmetic touchdown to provide the Texans' final margin of victory. 
 
Utah Tech finished with 352 yards of total offense, with 220 those coming through the air. Bronson finished with 174 of those yards on 18-for-35 passing and his fourth-quarter touchdown toss, while Graff completed four of his five attempts for 46 yards.
 
Meanwhile Graff led the Trailblazers with 57 yards on 12 carries to go with his touchdown as Utah Tech gained 132 yards on the ground. 
 
On defense, linebacker Daylen Love racked up a game and career-high 11 total tackles, while corner back DeJuan Robinson was credited with a career high six solo tackles, along with his first collegiate forced fumble and recovery, and a career-best two pass break-ups. 
 
Greek finished with 169 yards on 13-for-21 passing as Tarleton State wound up with 435 yards of offense on the night, including 262 net yards rushing. 
 
Following its bye week next week, Utah Tech returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 24, when it hosts in-state rival Southern Utah in a Homecoming "Battle for the Ax" showdown. Kickoff inside Greater Zion Stadium is set for 6 p.m. (MT).